Happy Birthday, Emma
by justanoutlaw
Summary: David and Snow celebrate Emma's birthday, even though she is not with them.


**Somehow this prompt submitted to me on CuriousCat: "playful/flirty Snow and Charming**  
**"That's not very charming, Charming"" Lead to angst...and I don't even know how...here ya go. Takes place during the Missing Year.**

It was a hard day for the both of them. October 22nd. If they were in Storybrooke, David would have baked a cake. Snow would have decorated the loft with streamers and corny stuff that probably would have made Emma roll her eyes. They would have thrown her a party if she had been okay with it, but also would have been just fine having something at home with them, Henry and whoever else she wanted to invite.

Instead, they were back in the Enchanted Forest and Emma was off, who knew where. Her memories were erased. Once again, she thought she was an orphan abandoned on the side of the road. She had Henry with her, at least. Snow and David knew that as long as he was with her, she had to be safe. Regina wouldn't allow anything else. And yet...they weren't okay.

David could tell Snow was trying to take her mind off of things. It was the way she always did when things got rough. With the first curse, she wanted to throw balls and put on a brave face. She had been doing the exact same ever since they had been transported back to the Enchanted Forest. To those that didn't know her, it could seem like she didn't care. Especially since they announced their pregnancy.

He did know his wife, however. She was breaking inside. It was how she had been trained to do not only as a princess, but as a person that had been through so much. If Snow White cried each time a personal crisis came her way…she'd never stop.

David was one of the few that knew how to help her through, even when she wasn't showing that she needed it.

Winter was coming early to the forest, which meant snow had begun to fall. The kingdom's grounds were covered in a thick white blanket, which brought everyone some joy. Snow had decided she would throw yet another ball to celebrate the season. A ball wouldn't distract anyone from Zelena or their new situation. It also wasn't going to distract Snow from how she was really feeling.

David walked into his wife's office, his furs pulled over him and hers in hand. She was busy writing something at her desk. "Darling."

She looked up, softly smiling. It didn't reach the eyes. "Yes?"

"How about a walk?"

"I have to get these to the cooks by tonight…"

"They can wait." He extended the fur towards her. "Let's go."

Snow hesitated looking from it, back up to him. She finally stood, placing a hand on her growing bump. He helped her into her jacket before leading her down the stairs. Once they were outside, he decided the garden was the best place for them. There weren't many flowers outside the snowbells, but it was still a majestic place. Snow's arm was meekly linked through his own as she ran her finger over the petals of the flower that shared her name.

"Man, snow sure is wet," he teased.

She playfully rolled her eyes. Every winter since they met, he told her the same joke and it never failed to make her smile. "That's not very charming, Charming."

"Luckily for you, I'm just a crude farm boy." He laced his fingers through her own and swung their hands. "So, another ball?"

"It's tradition, the first snow has fallen."

"Yes, but we just threw one for the Harvest a few weeks ago. And you're quite busy preparing for this little one's arrival." He placed his free hand over her bump, giving enough time to feel the kick. A small smile fell across his lips. "You're very busy."

Snow shrugged. "I like to keep it that way."

"You can relax a bit, you know. We'll hold our annual yuletide festival in a few weeks and everyone will enjoy it."

"I need to do this, David."

David watched as her eyes focused on a particular snowbell, rather than him. She brushed some flakes off of it, trying to perfect it.

"It's her birthday," he whispered.

Snow paused. "I know."

"It's her birthday and you haven't even said her name."

"Saying it won't make me feel any better." Her voice is sad and it breaks his heart. He wants to give in, change the subject. That won't help, though. David knows they have to push through. "It won't make her magically appear."

"Maybe not." He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "But it will keep her memory alive. It'll make her easier to talk about…especially when the little one comes. Don't we want he…or she," he reminded himself it could be another girl. "To know about their big sister?"

"Of course I do."

"Then saying her name is the first step."

The garden was quiet. Snow wasn't fussing over the flower anymore, and instead stared forward at the woods ahead.

"You know, she loved romantic comedies. She wouldn't admit it, but they were her kryptonite."

David chuckled. "I didn't know that."

"We would watch them, under the curse. She loved grilled cheese and onion rings, with hot chocolate. Always had to have cinnamon."

"A love she in no doubt got from you."

"She told me that she had picked her last name, she wasn't given it by her adoptive family." David tilted his head. He had assumed the family that had given her up at age three had ben the Swans. "Yup."

"She really is quite something. I feel like we barely got to know her and yet…she said so much with her eyes."

"She really did."

Snow let out a deep breath. A single tear fell down her cheek and David caught it with his thumb before it could reach her chin.

"Happy birthday, Emma Ruth Swan," she whispered. "We love you."

David nodded, squeezing her hand. "Yes, we do."


End file.
